We all know we're supposed to wash our hands after using the bathroom. But what about the things we touch every day without giving them a second thought?
According to health experts, there are three everyday items that are absolutely loaded with germs, and washing your hands after using them can help reduce your chances of getting sick.
You might be surprised by what's on the list...
1. Touchscreens and Pin Pads
Think about how many fingers touch these every single day.
Whether you're:
- Using the ATM
- Ordering food on a restaurant tablet
- Checking out at the grocery store
- Typing your phone number into a keypad
- Using a self-checkout screen
...you're touching a surface that hundreds, maybe even thousands, of other people have touched before you.
Those germs can linger, making these high-traffic screens a hotspot for bacteria and viruses.
2. Grocery Cart Handles
When was the last time you thought about cleaning a shopping cart handle?
Probably never.
But consider what those handles have been through.
People push them after handling raw meat packages, caring for sick kids, coughing into their hands, or simply skipping a trip to the sink.
That's why many grocery stores now offer disinfectant wipes at the entrance. They're worth using!
3. Your Cell Phone
This one might be the biggest surprise... even though it's probably the dirtiest thing you own.
Your phone goes everywhere with you:
- The kitchen
- The gym
- Your car
- Restaurants
- Public places
- Even the bathroom
Yet most people rarely clean it.
Every time you touch your phone after touching another surface, you're transferring germs right back onto something you hold against your face and use dozens, if not hundreds, of times each day.
A quick wipe with an electronics-safe disinfecting cloth can make a big difference.
The Bottom Line
Good handwashing is still one of the easiest and most effective ways to stay healthy.
So the next time you:
Use an ATM
Grab a shopping cart
Spend all day on your phone
...take an extra minute to wash your hands and, while you're at it, give that phone a good cleaning too.
